The Body Language of Veronica Sue

October 4, 2011

From the developer of the "Violet" series of book apps comes, Veronica Sue, a little frog who helps young children get in touch with their feelings and physical reactions to everyday events. Veronica is adorable and has a body that 'talks to herself' telling her more about how she feels. From sweating in the sun to feeling shy around new kids, this theme continues on over a dozen beautiful pages with light animation and interactivity.

This book also has lovely background music that pairs nicely with the expressive illustrations, athough it is on a rather short loop. The story itself has nice pacing that is made even better with the engaging narration (although it does not highlight as read). The book covers a wide variety of feelings, including being happy, angry, sad and sleepy. Physical sensations like sneezing & feeling itchy are also mentioned. This is a wonderful title to share with young children, especially when exploring emotional and physical states.

The app is solidly made with simple arrow page turning, a nice-sized easy-to-read font and a home button/page guide. The audio has a play button on each page instead of the usual 'read to me' mode, requiring a tap to start each page's narration. The book ends with a series of 9 faces from Veronica that cover many emotional states. Tapping on the faces elicits sounds that match the expressions.

This book is versatile for reading at any time of day, including being a great bedtime story. It ends with little Veronica Sue's body telling her she is sleepy with a yawn. Overall, this is a top notch title that makes a great teaching tool for toddlers and preschoolers, as well as kids with special needs. It ends with, "This is the story of Veronica Sue. Her body talks. And yours does too."

All reviews are of the app, not the platform/device. Based originally on iPad versions. Minor technical details may vary.

Story Synopsis - The Body Language of Veronica Sue

Veronica Sue is a little girl frog that has a body that 'talks to herself and to you'. The book follows Veronica through many activities that show her physical and emotional state. When she is hot, 'her body says "SWEAT"' for instance. She smiles when happy, giggles when something is funny, sneezes when she has the flu, and has a grumbly tummy when she is hungry.

The book also covers itching, dancing happily, feeling proud, getting a fun surprise, as well as feeling shy, sad, angry, embarrassed, out of breath and sleepy. A final page shows 9 different facial expressions.